Seevaratnam came to Britain from Nigeria and at the beginning was involved with the Archway Murgan Temple. When he was thrown out of Archway Murugan Temple, he vowed that ‘I will start a temple’. In 1996, he started the Tooting Muththumari Amman temple. The three Trustees were N Seevaratnam, his brother Nagaratnam Karunanithy and Seevaratnam’s friend Singam.

The Court entered a judgement against Sivayogam’s chief Trustee Seevaratnam and his brother Karunanithy and ordered them to pay £300,000 relating to a legal dispute that went on from 2003 to 2008 over a row on ground floor entrance to the temple. Despite Karunanithy had already transferred his assets in his daughters name, the law was after him. Finally, when the property was almost about to be taken over, they paid the judgement by refinancing the property.

Unable to pay his share of the judgement, Seevaratnam was made bankrupt.

The cost of the case that went on for five years was paid from the public (charity’s) funds.

Income of Sivayogam temple

Donations poured in. The March 2012 annual accounts prior to removal of the temple in Tooting showed an increase in income close to a million i.e., £895,000.

Seevaratnam controls the finance and the administration

In 2007 Charity Commission removed Seevaratnam from the management of the Trust for mishandling the finances and mismanagement of Trust. Despite this, with his children and friends support, he continued to exercise his control.

He has absolute control over the finance and the administration of the temple.

When Chairman of the Trust Shanmugarajah was contacted in connection with the financial irregularities and mismanagement, he was not prepared to respond to any of our questions. He asked us to contact Seevaratnam. When interjected and asked ‘ you are the Chairman of Sivayogam’, he said he is at work and to contact Seevaratnam.

Sharing donation (Undiyal) box funds.

Nagendram Seevaratnam

Packing his bags from the Amman temple in Tooting

Money in the donation boxes were always counted by Seevaratnam. There were 12 Undiyal boxes. Each one had two sets of keys. According to Trust rule, one must be with the Secretary and the other with the Treasurer. When in 2011 Saravanamuthu Kumaresan was the Secretary, he was not given the keys as confirmed by him to Thesam news.

Sathees Iyaa who was responsible for the temple record keeping confirmed to Thesam that the first £1,000 of the Undiyal money will be given to his son – the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam MP Nimalan (Earlier only £500 was given and since 2008 the amount given to Nimalan was increased to £1,000). Sathees Iyaa confirmed as Seevaratnam saying: ‘He (Nimalan) works for the movement, therefore he should be paid more’.

Son Nimalan Seevaratnam.

An unemployed and an MP of Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam

Sathees Iyaa confirmed that £1,000 from the Undiyal collection was taken by Seevaratam, then since the amount given to Nimalan was increased to £1,000, Seevaratnam reduced his take to £600.

Kumaresan confirmed that at the Sept 2, 2012 meeting with the Trustees, temple priests, administrators Seevaratnam had confirmed that he was taking £600 as salary and was pocketing the income received from the hire of Nadaswaram and drum artists.

Of the Undiyal funds, £500 was sent to the Tamil leader in Tamil Nadu Pala Nedumaaran monthly. The funds were sent by Sathees Iyaa.

Seevaratnam and Pala Nedumaran

Col. Ramesh’s (who was killed in the final war in 2009) wife Vaksala is currently living in South Africa. Since 2010 £400 was sent to her. Sathees Iyaa was sending the funds. It was the decision of the Transnational government of Tamil Eelam to help the former fighter’s wife. But Nimalan siphoned off this plan to the temple.

Vadai (Tamil Doughnut) – Murukku (Tamil crispy fry) sale money

The sale proceeds of Murukku was banked in a different bank in Sangar Iyaa’s bank account. Sangar Ayaa is working at the Hindu Cultural Centre functioning in Wembley- the premises acquired to build a temple to compete with Eelapatheeswarar Temple.

From April 1, 2011 – 31 March 2012 Murukku sale income of £1,822 was not brought into the books. Sale proceeds of Vadai of £5,500 too was not accounted for in the books.

Double sale income of Ambaal sarees?

In the period of 2011-2012 cost of purchase of sarees £4,000 is recorded in the books. But the sale income of sarees of £33,000 is not recorded. The sarees used for Ambal deity are sold at higher prices. These income are not recorded in the books.

Likewise, surplus of hire of Nadaswaram and Drum artists were not recorded in the books. There are many other income that are not recorded in the books.

Donations in family names

Large sums have been recorded as donation receipts in the names of Ambikai Seevaratnam, Nimalan Seevaratnam, in another daughter’s husband Vannamayilon and one of the their child’s names.

Those who donated funds to build a temple were assured that the funds will be returned if he is unable build one. Seevaratnam had taken the funds from the public and have recorded as donations from his children and if temple is built he has assured the funds will be returned to the donors.

Land, lies and cons

Having failed in his effort to grab the temple of Jayadevan, Seevaratnam went on to buy a land to build a Siva temple in Wembley. In London property prices are going up. But property bought by Seevaranam is now valued at £500,000.

He bought this land for £1.1 million. Seevaratnam and Dr Alagarajah likes, have abused the public funds.

Many thousands of pounds have been lost on the run for the purchase of a land for Muthumari Amman temple. Thousands of pounds was spent on for the planning application for a contaminated land that is not allowed for public use.

In another place, despite the proprietor deciding to sell his land to another party, planning application was submitted to build a temple in that land. Thousands of pounds were wasted on this.

A property was identified in an industrial estate in Collierswood. Despite being advised that only 100 people can attend at any particular time, planning application was submitted and that got rejected. Local residents also protested.

Despite knowing it is not feasible, funds of the people were exploited by giving irresponsible promises of building a temple and buying land by Seevaratnam.

Sivayogam Ltd

In addition, in parallel to Sivayogam Trust, a private limited company Sivayogam Ltd has been registered in July 2008. Seevaratnam’s family are the shareholders and directors. There was £20,000 in the company. But Seevaranmam’s family attempted to take £100,000 as loan from the Sivayogam Charity. At that time, the Secretary of the Sivayogam Charity Kumaresan called an emergency meeting on Sept 7, 2012 and raised questions about the private Sivayogam Trust Ltd. Within the next 24 hours on Sept 9, 2012 he was removed from the Trust.

Seevaratnam will have one answer for all the questions. ‘I have done wrongs. I did it with farsightedness’ – confirmed Kumaresan.

Sex and Seevaratnam

Seevaratnam’s conduct was not limited to mismanagement and financial crimes. He is also involved in sexual abuses. He has used the 20 year old Nadaswaram artist employed at the temple to apply oil and massage him.

This youngster later provided his testimony to his lawyer that he was sexually abused by him. But when the young man was facing visa difficulties, Seevaratnam promised arrangements for him and made him to withdraw the charges to project a good image of him. He circulated a leaflet on this.

Seevaratnam has a nickname Manmatha Kunju (in sexual term an ugly who thinks he is very attractive). He gave evidence against East Ham Naganatha Kurukkals brother for interfering in his sexual games and got him sentenced.

A Tamil Eelam Tiger woman who escaped from Mullivaykal in 2009 was working with Seevaratnam for a short while. When commenting about Seevaratnam, she had said: ‘that Seevaratnam is a very bad man’.

Dismissal of temple priests and staff

Seevaratnam made the priests and the staff to work like slaves. They were brought from India and Sri Lanka for low wages and they were neither allowed to eat their food according to the religious rule nor permitted to eat to ease their hunger. They were given measured food.

From their salary funds were taken forcefully for the temple building fund. Some young priests have made to oil massage him. (We have avoided naming those who have been sexually abused).

When the affected complained of their experience to the Trustees, they were systematically removed from their employment on Sept 9, 2012.

Even the Charity’s Secretary Kumaresan who brought these charges before Board of Trustees was removed from the Charity.

The award of the Down to Earth leader: ‘Shakthi Down to Earth ‘ Sakthi Aanmeega Chudaroli’ – Nagenthiram Seevaratnam is appearing in the Sivayogam’s accounts filed with the Charity Commission. There is no details as to why and by whom this title was given.

When Seevaratnam was contacted to enquire about these charges, he said: ‘to say it shortly this is waste of time. Even Charity Commission has apologised to me and have paid me damages’.

When asked: ‘that is to do with failures in the conduct of the inquiry and not on the charges against the Sivayogam Trust’ he responded: ‘You know everything very well. Then you bring the documents and we can discuss’.

The important documents is somewhere outside. When I said I do not have any documents with me and certain charges have been levelled against him he said: ‘Ask those who said to go to the sea beach and scream’.

The abuse that is supported by the Saiva Munnetra Sangam

The Charity Commission has confirmed his abuses and mismanagement. But, the important member of the Saiva Munnetra Sangam (Saiva Welfare Association) V Ramanathan has whitewashed corruptions of Sivayogam Trust. R Ramanathan is one of the important financial adviser of Sivayogam Trust.

In addition, the Complaint Handling Kathiripillai Jegatheeswarampillai (He is the editor of Kalasam magazine), Sathasivam Anandathiyagar are the two involved with Saiva Munnetra Sangam.

They failed to recognise the corruption, mismanagement and sexual abuses. But Dr Gnanachelvan who was appointed with the same responsibility resigned when he came to know the true situation.

Sivayogam is a typical example to a failing charity.

Sivayogam Trust- Members and Advisers

Founder : Nagaratnam Seevaratnam

Chairman of the Trust: Shanmugarajah Thanarajah, Also functioned as auditor. A man who will trust Seevaratnam absolutely. A person who signs the accounts prepared by the accountant Seevaratnam and saying ‘it is enough to angle it’. Because of his loyalty, he was made the Chairman. The accounts that he audited has become a problem.

Charity’s Secretary: Nimalan Seevaratnam, Son

Charity’s Treasurer: Ambikai Seevaratnam, Daughter.

Charity members: Dr Saravanamuthu Jeyakanthan- He was brought down by Seevaratnam from Sri Lanka to undertake carpentry work and is living in London. He is trusted by Seevaratnam.

Directors of Sivayogam Ltd

Nagendram Seevaratnam (From 2 October 2012)

Shankar Swaminathan (From 31 July 2008 to 2 October 2012)

Ambikai Seevaratnam (From 31 July 2008 to 2 October 2012)

Shareholders of Sivayogam Ltd

Ambikai Seevaratnam 25%

Nimalan Seevaratnam 25%

Sakthy Vannamayilon –Daughter of Seevaratnam 10%

Apputhurai Vannamayilon- Son in law of Seevaratnam 10%

Pranavan Vannamayilon – Grandson of Seevaratnam 25%

Sangar Swaminathan – Seevaratnam’s trusted employee 5%

(SRI LANKA GUARDIAN will publish further revelations after interviewing the concerned former Trustees, staff, priests and the devotees of Muthumari Amman Temple)

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The Sri Lanka Guardian is an online web portal founded in August 2007 by a group of concerned Sri Lankan citizens including journalists, activists, academics and retired civil servants. This portal is currently a platform for over hundred regular writers from around the world.